We were lucky to catch up with Ashley Mudge recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ashley, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

Our mission is rooted in a commitment to elevating the coffee experience through a blend of ethical sourcing and a warm, inclusive atmosphere. By prioritizing ethically sourced beans, we’re not only ensuring a high-quality product but also contributing to fair and sustainable practices within the global coffee supply chain. This emphasis on quality extends beyond the beans to create a welcoming coffee shop environment that embraces diversity and inclusivity. Our goal is to cultivate a space where every customer feels not only the richness of a finely crafted cup of coffee but also the warmth of community and acceptance. This dual focus on ethical sourcing and inclusivity positions our coffee shop as a beacon of responsible business, where the love for excellent coffee is seamlessly intertwined with a genuine commitment to social and environmental responsibility.

I realize this seems like it’s specific to coffee but it really isn’t. Over the years I’ve worn many professional hats. Outside of the coffee biz I’m also a RYT 200 certified yoga instructor and have spent the past 10 long years in retail management. The skills I’ve learned along the way are useful in their own right and I’m very excited to now get it utilize them in an environment that is fulfilling and I’m still able to be of service to our community.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Awake Roasting Company, Owner

In 2021, what started as a chill hobby turned into a full-blown coffee adventure, giving birth to Awake! Roasting Company. It all kicked off with a simple fascination for the art of coffee roasting, but soon enough, I was all in, obsessed with every little detail. I went deep into the world of single-origin beans, brewing techniques, and the ethical side of coffee production. And bam! A vision took shape.

Fueled by my newfound coffee passion, I made the leap from coffee lover to entrepreneur. The goal? Spread the joy of killer coffee experiences. Awake! Roasting Company isn’t just a business—it’s my love story with the magic of coffee. Fast forward, and now we’re a buzzing local roastery in North Carolina, proving that turning a personal passion into a community thing is the real deal.

At Awake!, we do things a bit differently. Our special air-roasting method doesn’t just amp up the flavor—it’s also a nod to Mother Earth, cutting down on the carbon footprint. Every cup brewed from our beans is a shout-out to responsible sourcing and crafty skills, showing off the awesome flavors from coffee regions worldwide. Cheers to good coffee and good vibes!

Core Coffee Shop, Manager

So, in this cool twist of fate where skills and dreams collided, A friend of mine who I had previously worked with as a RYT 200 certified yoga instructor-spotted my unique combo of retail, coffee, and business mojo. She’s the brains behind Carolina Core Wellness & Core Coffee Shop, and she was like, “Hey, you’d be perfect for the squad.” So, I hopped on board, using my retail skills to sprinkle some curated charm all over the place. I wanted every nook to feel cozy and zen.

With my love for coffee and knowing how it brings people together, I turned the wellness center into a bit of a coffee haven. It became this spot where folks could kick back, connect, and just chill. And, being the business-savvy duo we are, Danielle and I cooked up some plans to blend wellness, retail, and coffee seamlessly. We didn’t just want a regular wellness center—Carolina Core Wellness became this all-encompassing haven. It’s not just a place; it’s an invitation for people to dive into a journey of well-being in the friendliest spot around.

So, the story doesn’t end there. I took on even more with Carolina Core Wellness and now I’m steering the ship over at Your Core Store, a quaint supplement and nutrition spot under the CCW umbrella. It’s like the cool corner in our building where the community can snag some clean vitamins and top-notch cooking ingredients. Guess what? We just kicked things off in July 2023, and we’re hoping you swing by and see what’s up!

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

Absolutely! Coffee roasting started out as a hobby several years ago. I was too nervous to put myself and my product out to the public, but with the support of my husband, Jarvis and of course some close friends I quickly gained confidence to do so. I few short months later, Awake! Roasting Company was born. As we established the business itself, it was very slow going. We were selling to some local folks sporadically. In accepting an opportunity to join the Core Coffee Shop/Carolina Core Wellness team I was able to work closely with local business owners who are incredible resources to learn more about what it takes to scale a business. From this we’ve acquired several regular customers and are the primary supplier to our very own Core Coffee Shop! This was the biggest milestone by far, and we’re already nose to the grindstone on expanding our footprint throughout our locality.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

Awake! Roasting Company is founded by myself and my husband, Jarvis. He’s by far the biggest cheerleader I’ll ever have.

Danielle is an age old friend who acts as the Director of Operations for my employer, Carolina Core Wellness. Both of these beautiful people see more in me than I ever will in myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: corecoffeshop.com/ yourcorestore.com
• Instagram: corecoffeeshop_nc / your_core_store/ashleymudgeyoga
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-mudge-2268a5154?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app